1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER tow

4RUNNER (1998)
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse,
put the transmission in neutral, re-
lease the clutch pedal momentarily,
and then try again.
When towing a trailer, in order to
maintain engine braking efficiency,
do not use the fifth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on
a slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is com-
pletely stopped before shiftinginto reverse.
Four- wheel drive systemÐ
(a) Front drive control (lev
type)

4RUNNER (1998)
ÐRear heater system 1. Fan Speed Selector
2. Temperature Selector
Fan speed selector
Push the switch toward ºHIº or
ºLOº.
Temperature selector
Place the lever anywhere ex-
cept the ºOFFº position.

4RUNNER (1998)
Tie- down hooks
To secure your luggage, use the
tie- down hooks as shown above.
See ºLuggage stowage precautionsº in
Part 2 for what to observe in loading
luggage. Luggage cover

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 2
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off- road vehicle precautions
Break- in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three- way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil
consumption
Twin ground electrode spark plugs
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit
indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Your Toyota's identification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
InformationOff- road vehicle precaution

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of
serious personal injury or damage
to your vehicle: Avoid sharp turns or abrupt ma-
neuvers, if at all possible. As
with other vehicles of this type,
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover.
Avoid loading any items on the
roof that will make the center
of gravity even higher.
Always slow down in gusty
crosswinds. Because of its high
center of gravity, your vehicle
is more sensitive to side winds
than an ordinary passenger car.
Slowing down will allow you to
have much better control.
Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight
up or straight down is pre-
ferred. Your vehicle (or any sim-
ilar off- road vehicle) can tip
over sideways much more easi-
ly than forward or backward.When driving off- road or in
rugged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump the ve-
hicle, or strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover. You are also
risking expensive damage to y-
our vehicle's suspension and
chassis.
Break- in period
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elabo-
rate break- in. But following a few sim-
ple tips for the first 1600 km (1000
miles) can add to the future economy
and long life of your vehicle:
Do not drive over 88 km/h (55
mph).
Run the engine at moderate speed
between 2000 and 4000 rpm.
Avoid full- throttle starts.
Try to avoid hard stops during the
first 300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive slowly with the manu-
al transmission in a high gear.
Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.
Do not tow a trailer during the first
800km (500miles).

4RUNNER (1998)
The brake pad wear limit indicators
on your disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are
worn to where replacement is re-
quired.
If you hear a squealing or scraping
noise while driving, have the brake
pads checked and replaced by your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
Expensive rotor damage can result if
the pads are not replaced when nec-
essary. Luggage stowage pr
ecau-
tions
When stowing luggage or cargo in the
vehicle, observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the lug-
gage compartment when at all pos-
sible. Be sure all items are se-
cured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far
forward as possible helps maintain
balance.
For better fuel economy, do not
carry unneeded weight.
CAUTION
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during
braking, do not stack anything
in the luggage compartment
higher than the seatbacks. Keep
luggage or packages low, as
close to the floor as possible.
Never allow anyone to ride in
the luggage compartment. It is
not designed for passengers.
They should ride in their seats
with their seat belts properly
fastened. Otherwise, they are
much more likely to suffer seri-
ous bodily injury, in the event
of sudden braking or a colli-
sion.

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 3
STARTING AND
DRIVING
Before starting the engine
How to start the engine
Tips for driving in various
conditions
Off- road driving precautions
Winter driving tips
Tr ailer towing
How to save fuel and make
your
vehicle last longer, too
Before starting the engine
1. Check the area around the vehicle before entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion angle, head re-
straint height and steering wheel
angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and ac-
cessories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift
the transmission into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor until
the engine is started. A starter
safety device will prevent the start-
er from operating if the clutch ped-
al is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the
selector lever in ºPº. If you need to
restart the engine while the vehicle
is moving, put the selector lever in
ºNº. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
selector lever is in any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it
to the floor until driving off.
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking

4RUNNER (1998)
Use a washer fluid containing an
antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyo-
ta dealer and most auto parts stores.
Follow the manufacturer 's directions
for how much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because itmay damage your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake
when there is a possibility it could
freeze.
When parking, put the transmission
into ºPº (automatic) or into first or
reverse (manual) and block the rear
wheels. Do not use the parking brake,
or snow or water accumulated in and
around the parking brake mechanism
may freeze, making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulat-
ing under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your
fenders can make steering difficult.
During bad winter driving, stop and
check under the fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driv-
ing, we recommend you carry some
emergency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in
the vehicle are tire chains, window
scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares,
small shovel, jumper cables, etc.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed primarily as
a passenger- and- load- carrying ve-
hicle. Towing a trailer will have an
adverse effect on handling, perfor-
mance, braking, durability and driving
economy (fuel consumption, etc.).
Your safety and satisfaction depend
on the proper use of correct equip-
ment and cautious driving habits. For
your safety and the safety of others,
you must not overload your vehicle or
trailer. Ask your local Toyota dealer
for further details before towing.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue
load can be measured with platform
scales found at a highway weighing
station, building supply company,
trucking company, junk yard, etc.